More questions than answers in hit-and-run crash; Source: Person of interest in Hoopa homicide in custody

Law enforcement officials remain tight-lipped about the investigation into a hit-and-run crash that killed a 40-year-old mother and severely injured two other women who were jogging along Myrtle Avenue shortly before 6 a.m. Thursday.

The Humboldt County Coroner's Office confirmed Friday that Humboldt State University geography instructor Suzanne Seemann was killed. Seemann, the mother of two young children and wife of Humboldt County official Hank Seemann, died at the scene.

Officials of the multiple agencies involved in the investigation are releasing few details on the search for the driver of the 2005 Kia Spectra who hit the women. They are also declining to comment on whether the hit-and-run is related to the homicide of Dorothy Ulrich, whose body was discovered in a Hoopa residence Thursday morning.

A source close to the investigations said that a person of interest in the Hoopa homicide is in custody, but it's too early to release the individual's name or further details due to the complexity of the case and to the multiple agencies involved.

A call log of the hit-and-run incident indicates that the California Highway Patrol contacted the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police in regard to the Kia Spectra's registered owner. A CHP officer conducting a follow up investigation hours after the hit-and-run found Ulrich's body.

On Friday, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office issued a release stating it is investigating Ulrich's death as a homicide. The office has not released a cause or time of death, and the Humboldt County Coroner's Office referred questions to the sheriff's office.

Detectives are following possible leads and processing evidence obtained at the scene of the homicide, according to the sheriff's office release. An autopsy for Ulrich been scheduled in Santa Rosa for Oct. 2.

EPD Sgt. Steve Watson said the department's Problem Oriented Policing unit and Humboldt County District Attorney's Office investigators were tasked with following leads within the city. After watching a house on Sonoma Street, POP made a traffic stop and arrest near Church and Union streets on Thursday afternoon, Watson said.

"It was literally an all day thing," he said.

Watson said he could not confirm the name of the person arrested, and turned over to sheriff's office custody. He said he was unable to confirm whether the arrest was in connection to the hit-and-run or the Hoopa homicide.

Arrest logs from Thursday do not indicate anyone was arrested on charges of homicide or manslaughter.

District Attorney Paul Gallegos said Friday that multiple agencies are investigating the two incidents, and there are more leads to be followed.

"What I certainly don't want to do is jump the gun," Gallegos said.

Sheriff's office Lt. Steve Knight stressed Friday that the hit-and-run and the homicide are separate investigations.

Knight and CHP Sgt. Doug Tupen said no arrests have been made in the hit-and-run or Ulrich's death, and that CHP has not named a suspect or person of interest in the hit-and-run.

Tupen said the crash is under investigation by the CHP, with help from the Department of Justice's forensics team.

The sheriff's office asks anyone with information regarding the Hoopa homicide investigation to contact Detective Cheryl Franco at 268-3644 or via email at Cfranco@co.humboldt.ca.us, or Detective Sergeant Diana Freese at 268-3639 or via email at Dfreese@co.humboldt.ca.us.

How to help:

The Six Rivers Running Club has set up medical and memorial funds at Umpqua Bank for the three women struck in Thursday's hit-and-run crash.